Cable plug



J. J. HARLEY Aug. 30, 1938.

CABLE PLUG Filed Nov. 28, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A 7` TURA/EY /A/VENTORJ. J. HARLEY 53.2 @fac t, 2 k E liwl@ Y nx G NX wam J. J. HARLEY Aug.30, 1938.

CABLE PLUG Filed NOV.I 28, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l\\ mil pli. lm

NI/E/VTOR J. J. HARLEY BV 9. @@QMM ATTORNEY J. J. HARLEY CABLE PLUGFiled Nov. 2B, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 x 111 nu:

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J. J. HARLEY Aug. 30, 1938.

CABLE PLUG Filed Nov. 28, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 QS. R ww um d n ll.

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n Ill V/Arh /N VENT OR J.,J. HARLEY A 7` TOR/VE V Patented Aug. 30, 1938UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Telephone Laboratories,

Incorporated, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 28, 1936,Serial No. 113,133

4 Claims.

This invention relates to so-called coaxial cables, and moreparticularly to plugs for use in such cables.

These cables consist of one or a plurality of atmospheric pressure whichmust be maintained at all times within small plus or minus differencelimits.

According to the invention, the cable sheath is provided at its ends andalong its length with plug arrangements which divide the lead sheath andthe conductors of the cable into a plurality of gas-tight sections, theplugs at the terminating ends of the cable providing means whereby theconductors may be extended beyond the lead sheath while effectivelypreventing the escape of gas at these points so as to maintain aconstant gas pressure condition in the section of the cable.

More specifically, in the plug arrangements of the invention metallicsleeves are slipped over the centrally disposed conductors of thecoaxial cable and secured to the ends of the tubular conductors. Intothese sleeves are inserted beads of soft rubber which are compressed toforce them against the walls of the sleeves and onto the centrallydisposed conductors to form gas-tight closures at these points. Thecompressing operation of the beads is effected by the engagement ofother sleeve members slipped over the centrally disposed conductors andengaging the screwthreaded ends of the metallic sleeves. The compressingsleeve members, together with tubings which are crimped on the rubberinsulation of the quad wires, are secured as by soldering to a discmember which serves as a closure for a tubular core extending over theindividual wires and the sleeves soldered at the ends of the tubularconductors of the cable. On this tubular core is mounted a bushing ofrubber, for example, which is compressed between the wall of a shell andthe periphery of this core to form a gas-tight closure therebetween anda screw-threaded headpiece member engaging one end of the shell isprovided for compressing the rubber bushing in the shell and providesmeans for securing the plug assembly thus formed to a support, the otherend portion of the shell being secured to the lead sheath of the cableas by soldering, while the ends of the concentric conductors and of theindividual wires extend beyond the head-piece of the plug for connectionon banks of wire terminals carried by the shell support and otherelectrical apparatus.

Other novel features and advantages of the invention will appear fromthe following description and by the claims appended thereto, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective assembly view of a pair of terminal plugarrangements mounted on a common supporting member;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the plugsshowing a number of parts with portions out away; l

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view Vtaken on lin 3--3 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal sectional view taken on line 5-5 ofFig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified terminal plugarrangement;

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view shown with its outer shellremoved;

Fig. 8 is a left end view of the plug shown in Fig. 6 modiiled;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an assembly view of a modified plug arrangement;

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on line lI-il of Fig. 10;

Fig. l2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view taken on line |2--I2of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is an assembly view of the modified plug arrangement shown inFig. 10, the lead sheath housing being shown in section;

Fig.'14 is an assembly view of a wire terminal used in connection withthe terminal plug shown in Figs. 1 and 6;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line l5-i5 of Fig.14;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on line IB-IG of Fig. 14; and

Fig. 17 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line II-i'l of Fig, 14;

In the cable terminal arrangement of the invention the ends of the steeltapes ST of a pair of coaxial conductors are first secured on thetubular conductors dci and dc2 by clamping rings RI and R2 shown inFigs. 2 and 3. The ends of conductors dci and dc2 are fitted andsoldered into the ends of conducting sleeves 20 and 2|, insulating beadsas 22 and 23 being provided for holding the centrally disposed wires 24of each coaxial conductor concentric relative to the tubular conductorsdci and dc2 at these ends of the sleeves.

'Ihe wires 24 are further held in concentric relation to the sleeves 20and 2l by similar beads 2l and 24 of insulating material, such asporcelain, and the beads 21 of rubber. The opposite ends of conductingsleeves 2l and 2i are interiorly screw-threaded for engaging withperipherally screw-threaded sleeves 2l and 30, and friction washers asIl and 32 are interposed between the ends of sleeves 24 and 30 and theadjacent ends of insulating beads 24 for preventing the damaging ofthese beads upon the turning movement of sleeves 24 and 30 forcompressing the rubber beads 21 and thereby forcing them tightly aroundthe wires 24 and against the walls of sleeves 20 and 2|, thuseffectively preventing the flow of gas between these sleeves and thecentrally disposed wires 24 at these points.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 the sleeves 2i and 30 threadedly engagesimilarly threaded holes in a disc member 3l to which the conductingsleeves 23 and 30 are secured as by soldering. The disc member 33 inturn is secured in a metallic sleeve 34, in order to form a gas-tightclosure between the sleeves 29 and 30 and the sleeve 34, the latterhaving a circular recess or for receiving a complemental sleeve portion34a.

The disc 33 is provided with two series of four holes each as shown inFig. 4 in which similar ends oi two sets of tubings TU and TUI aresecured as by soldering. The quad wires of each series having ordinaryrubber covering are passed through these tubings which are afterwardcrimped at substantially equal spaced relation over the insulation ofthese wires as at points as xl, x2. :r3 and x4, shown in Fig. 2, thusproviding eifective gastight closures at these points.

The complemental sleeve portion 34a is then engaged with its cooperatingsleeve portion 34 and soldered thereon to form a single sleeve unit.'Ihe groups of quad wires in the sets of tubings TU and TUI are thenspliced to the corresponding quad wires of the coaxial cables bytwisting and soldering them together in the ordinary manner preparatoryto the insertion of insulating sleeves 3l over such splices as shown inFigs. 2 and 6.

'I'he conductor assembly thus formed is placed in a shell or housing 36having at one end an interiorly screw-threaded portion 3l andterminating at its other end with a conical portion 31 and acomparatively short cylindrical portion 33 of a diameter slightlygreater than the outer diameter o1 lead sheath LS of the coaxial cablesin order to provide an annular clearance adapted to be filled withsolder for uniting the shell to the lead sheath at this point.

A spacer ring 40 is inserted in the shell or housing 34 against theshoulder portion SP of this shell to serve as abutment for a porcelainbead 4I which serves together with a rubber bead or sleeve 42 andanother porcelain bead 43 to hold the sleeve or core unit 34-34a inposition concentric with respect to the shell 34. A head-piece 44 shownin Figs. l, 2 and 4 is provided with a screw-threaded portion forengaging the screw-threaded portion of shell 38 for compressing therubber sleeve 42 so as to force it against the wall of the shell 34 andagainst the periphery of sleeve unit 34-34a, thus effectively preventingthe escape of gas at this point, a number of friction washers as 45shown in Fig. 2 being provided for preventing damaging the porcelainbead 43 during the turning movement of the head-piece 44 in the shelland a tubing member tm of insulating material is forced into the bore ofhead-piece 44 for insulating it from the sleeves 23 and I4.

'I'he head-piece 44 is provided with an exteriorly disposed groove 44adjacent a circular flange c! to from a shoulder portion against whichthe circular edge ot the shell 34 is formed and soldered for preventingrelative movement between the head-piece 44 and the shell and toeffectively prevent the escape of gas at this point, the flange beingformed with an annular recess RS for receiving a packing ring PRprovided to form a seal between the flange portion of head-piece 44 andthe wall 49 of a gas-tight casing not shown into which the coaxial cableterminates.

The head member 44 is provided at its other end with a screw-threadedportion 41 for receiving a similarly screw-threaded nut 4B for securingthe terminal plug thus formed to the wall 48 of the gas-tight casing,while a locking washer 50 is interposed between the nut 44 and the wall4B for preventing the turning movement of the terminal plug during thetightening operation of the nut.

The quad wires in the two series of tubings TU and TUI are led andsoldered to the terminals in a bank |50' shown in Fig. 1, while thecentrally disposed conductors of the coaxial cable are connected torespective wires as W, WI of cords Cl and C2 and the sleeves 29 and 3Uof tubular conductors dci and dc2 are jointly connected by a metallicbloei:4 5| which may be moved in position for bridging the gap betweenthe sleeves 29 and 3U and the sleeves 52 and 53 at the terminating endsof other conductors of cords Ci and C2 leading to electrical apparatus,not shown.

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7 unlike the plug shown in Fig.1 the disc 33 through which the sleeves 29 and 3B and the sets oftubings TU and TUI extend is soldered directly into the bore ofhead-piece 44 and the shell or housing which is in the form of acylindrical tubing 34 at one end is secured to the lead sheath LS, as bysoldering, and its other end engages a bore 8U in the head-piece 44where it is secured as by soldering, thus effecting a gastight sealbetween the lead sheath LS and the head-piece 44.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a modification of the headpiece 44 of Fig. 1 andaccording to this modification the annular recess RS as shown in Fig. 9is made suiliciently deep for receiving a metallic ring BI in additionto the rubber packing ring PR. The compression of this packing ring iseffected by the turning movement of a nut 62 abutting against the endso1' pins 83, 64, 65 and i6 slidably mounted in holes in the flange ofthe headpiece and engaging the metallic ring 6I for forcing it againstthe packing ring PR, which is in turn forced against the casing wall 49to form a gas-tight joint at this point, the advantage ofthisconstruction being that it provides a greater compressing range forthe packing ring PR.

In Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the drawings which show a modification ofthe invention adapted to a line plug, the shell or housing 36 isinteriorly screw-threaded at one end for engaging with a similarlyscrew-threaded ring used for 'compressing the rubber bead or sleeve 42onto the core 34 in the manner described in connection with the terminalplug shown in Fig. 1. The shell or housing 38, however, as used in thismodification is formed with an annular recess 1i which serves as anabutment for the ring 40 and extends a considerable distance over themetallic sleeves 12 and 19 connecting with the concentric conductorsfrom which the shell 36 is electrically protected by a sleeve 14 ofinsulating material. The shell 36 is formed at its opposite end with aperipherally disposed collar 15, the sides of which form abutment forthe lead sleeves 16 and 11 shown in Fig. 13, these lead sleeves beingunited to the shell or housing 36 at these points as by soldering whilethe other ends of sleeves 16 and 11 are secured to the adjacent ends oflead cable sheaths IS in the ordinary manner, thus dividing the lengthof the coaxial cable into gas-tight sections.

Fig. 14 discloses an arrangement used in connection with the terminalplugs shown in Figs. 1 and 6 for connecting the free ends of sleeves 29and 30 to the ends of flexible wires fwl and ,fw2. In this arrangementplugs such as 90 shown in Fig. 16 which are made of aluminum areinserted in the ends of sleeves 29 and 30. These plugs extend beyond aseries of radially disposed holes 9| at the ends of sleeves 29 and 30 inorder to prevent solder from bridging the concentrically disposedconductors when soldering the connecting sleeves as 92 at the ends ofthe sleeves 29 and 30. A collar 93 made of aluminum is placed over oneend of each sleeve 92 for preventing running cf the solder onto thecentrally disposed conductors 24 when soldering the sleeves 29 and 30 tosleeves 92, the collars 93 also serving as stops for the slidable blockshown in Figs. 1, 15, 16 and 17 adapted to be moved over the openings 96in sleeves 92 for preventing crosstalk and the entrance of dust andother foreign particles in these sleeves, screws such as |00 beingprovided for securing the block 5| in adjusted position on the sleeves92.

The sleeves 92 are provided at their opposite end portions withcounter-bores cb shown in Fig. I1 for receiving bushings 91 made ofaluminum and serving as abutment for metallic sleeves 98 which areinteriorly screw-threaded for receiving the insulating covering |0| ofthe conductors 99 connecting with the centrally disposed conductors inthe opening 96 of sleeves 92, the conductors 99 being provided forconnecting the coaxial cables to their associated electrical apparatusat the sending and receiving stations.

It is understood that minor changes may be made to the invention withoutdeparting from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. The method of forming a terminal plug for a plurality of coaxialconductors disposed adjacent and in parallel relation to each other in alead cable sheath which consists in passing the conductors in individualconducting tubes, inserting beads of soft material in the tubes,compressing the beads against the walls of the tubes and the centrallydisposed conductors by screwing other conducting tubes in perforationsin a disc member and into the first-mentioned tubes, securing the discmember to a sleeve extending over the first-mentioned tubes, placingsuch a sleeve in a shell, compressing another ring of soft materialagainst the wall of the shell and the periphery of the sleeve throughthe tightening action of a screw-threaded member engaging the shell, theshell being secured at its other end to the lead sheath by soldering.

2. A terminal plug for aplurality of concentrically disposed conductormembers encased in a lead sheath, said plug comprising a conductingsleeve soldered onto the end of each tubular conductor, a bead of rubberplaced over each of the centrally disposed conductors in said sleeves, aplurality of means threadedly engaging the other ends of said conductingsleeves for compressing said beads to force them to expand to form agas-tight closure between said conducting sleeves and the centrallydisposed conductors, a disc member secured to all of said means, ametallic sleeve extending over said conducting sleeves and having one ofits ends secured to the periphery of said disc member, another bead ofrubber placed over said metallic sleeve, a metallic shell placed overthe last-mentioned bead, and means threadedly engaging one end of saidshell for compressing said bead to force it to expand to form agas-tight closure between said shell and said metallic sleeve, saidshell having its other end soldered to the lead sheath.

3. A terminal plug for a pair of concentric cables disposed in parallelrelation to each other in a lead sheath, said plug comprising a pair ofconducting sleeves secured on adjacent ends of the tubular conductors,other conducting sleeves, a disc member having means for threadedlyreceiving similar ends of the second-mentioned sleeves and these sleevesengaging the ends of the rstmentioned sleeves, a tubular member securedto the periphery of said disc and extending over the first-mentionedsleeves, means in the ilrstmentioned sleeves compressed by thetightening movement of the second-mentioned sleeve into themst-mentioned sleeves to form gas-tight closures between the walls ofthe first-mentioned sleeves and the centrally disposed conductors, atubular housing, a plurality of rings of different material for holdingsaid tubular member in position concentric to said housing, a head-piecemember having a screw-threaded portion engaging one end of said housingfor compressing said rings to force one of them against the wall of saidhousing and the periphery of said tubular member to form a gas-tightclosure therebetween, said housing being subsequently soldered at oneend to the lead sheath and its other end to said headpiece member forpreventing relative turning movement between said housing and saidheadpiece.

4. A plug for a coaxial cable having a plurality of conductor membersencased in a lead sheath, said plug comprising a plurality of tubingseach having a rubber member compressed therein, a disc having means forreceiving the ends of said tubings and soldered thereto, a metallicsleeve extending over said tubings and having one end soldered on theperiphery of said disc, a tubular housing for enclosing said tubings andsaid metallic sleeve, a plurality of beads of different material forholding said tubular housing in position concentric to said sleeve and ahead-piece threadedly engaging said housing for compressing said beadsto force one of them. toexpand radially to form a closure between thetubular housing and said metallic sleeve, said head-piece having meansfor securing the plug to a support.

JOSEPH J. HARLEY.

